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MATAMORAS, MEXICO, August 17, 1846. GENERAL: I have just received your letter of the 17th June; also yours of the 27th, 21st July, and the 3d August. The horses of Mexico are small, though strong for their size. They have been tried at the draught, and found inadequate; neither will they answer for the dragoons. For many purposes, such as express men who are light, for depot purposes, &c., they answer, and are applied. The Mexican mules are small, but answer our purpose. My letters already written will show that we are availing ourselves of them largely. They are very cheap. I am now buying several hundred, which will not cost over $20 each.

HENRY WHITING,

Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major General THOS. S. JESUp,
Quartermaster General U. S. A.,

Washington city, D. C.

MATAMORAS, MEXICO, August 18, 1846.

GENERAL: Another small boat, the "Rough and Ready," has been reported at the Brazos; she may be now in the river. This will make thirteen boats in the Grande; the "Neva" being sunk, and the "Exchange" sent to the Brazos to take the place of the "Leo," an almost useless boat, but which we have thus far been obliged to keep in employment. The "Colonel Cross" and the Major Brown are still to come; as also some iron boats, of which the general has spoken. The "Hunter" has not yet come. HENRY WHITING,

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Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major General THOS. S. JESUp,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army,

Washington city, D. C.

CAMP AT CAMARGO, August 24, 1846.

GENERAL: I reached here the day before yesterday, having remained at Matamoras until I felt satisfied of the probability of getting in the tame mules I had required of the Mexican authorities. More than half of them had been brought in, (a fair lot, averaging about $18,) and there was no doubt the remainder would be in before the end of the week. Indeed, it soon appeared that the breeders of mules were glad to have a market opened to them, of which they could avail themselves without compromising their loyalty.

As I have already reported, fifteen hundred pack mules are with the army here, most of them being now gone forward with General Worth's division to Serralvo, about sixty miles in advance towards Monterey. They were packed with provisions for that temporary

depot, and return immediately to accompany other troops. Tomorrow fifty wagons proceed with another brigade, with stores for the same places; these also return for more stores. I had directed about two hundred mules to be purchased at Reinosa. As I passed up by there the other day, I found nearly that complement, and they have been directed hither, in order to supply deficiencies in the train, &c.

We have camp equipage here now; other small stores, of which we have been so much in want, are now coming in, though many of them may be too late for the movement. Wagon bows, tongues, &c., still remain behind. Horse-shoes will be here in a day or two. The want of them has caused much anxiety, as the animals cannot well advance without them. We shall shoe as we go along.

HENRY WHITING, Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major Gen. THOMAS S. JESUP,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army,

Washington city, D. C.

CAMP AT CAMARGO, MEXICO,

August 28, 1846.

GENERAL: It is necessary to look ahead if the present operations are to continue. The means of transportation now with the army are very inadequate. In the strait to which we were reduced, a resort was had to pack mules of the enemy's country. They answered a good purpose, and might answer every purpose, provided we could bring ourselves to make war as the enemy makes it. But this is probably out of the question. We have customs which neither the officer nor the soldier will forego, excepting in cases of extremity. Our camp equipage, so comfortable and yet so cumbrous, our rations, so full and bulky, all must be transported. We will soon advance on Monterey with a column of some six thousand men, having some five thousand animals in all. This calculation embraces the train and pack mules. To provide subsistence and forage (meaning by the latter only grain, for it is now understood that there is no grass and not much fodder on the way, the continued heat having parched up every thing) will require large means of transportation. At least a thousand wagons ought to be on the route between the Rio Grande and Monterey. We have now less than two hundred. If the wagons are furnished, (harness with them, of course,) the mules can be purchased here at a low rate. I have not been informed what wagons are coming in. One hundred are directed to be stopped at the Brazos, where we have mules (lately purchased) to be put in them. The rest will come up here, to make up, as rapidly as possible, the required train here.

About one hundred thousand rations of subsistence have been thrown forward to Serralvo. This has been done by packs and

wagons, while the troops are coming up. As soon as they arrive, and the movement begins, these means will nearly all be engaged by the column, and the throwing forward additional stores to Serralva or other depots must cease, in a measure, until a new stand be made, and the means of transportation liberated from special purposes.

In speaking of transportation, I should have adverted to that which is adapted to the two bars at the Brazos and the mouth of the river. At present, we have only the Cincinnati and a few light schooners to be relied upon. Even when we have succeeded in reestablishing a train of a hundred and fifty wagons between those points, we ought to have at least one more boat of that description, perhaps two, as accidents often happen there. It is all important that there be at the mouth of the river a sure supply at all times for the boats plying on the river. I should have instructed Colonel Hunt on this subject before this, but have been constantly expecting boats supposed to be suited to that purpose-the Undine and the iron boats.

HENRY WHITING,

Assistant Quartermaster General.

Maj. Gen. THOMAS S. JESUP,
Quartermaster General, U. S. Army,

Washington city, D. C.

CAMP AT CAMARGO, MEXICO,
September 3, 1846.

GENERAL: On the 5th, General Taylor leaves this place for Serralvo. Already most of the regulars are there, or marching thitherward. He has succeeded in setting forward some two hundred thousand rations of subsistence thus far; and when we move a considerable supply will accompany us. Our means of transportation now consists of about nineteen hundred hired pack mules and about one hundred and eighty mule and horse wagons; with these means the army can attain Monterey, and no doubt Saltillo. If the country afford an abundance of subsistence for man and beast, we can continue to get along with them. If, however, this depot has to be resorted to as a main dependence, these means must be greatly increased, as I have already given notice. Our river craft now consists of eight public and eight chartered steamers. This excludes the Mentoria and Cincinnati, which ply between the Brazos and the mouth of the Grande. As I shall soon be beyond an immediate supervision of the river operations, I shall leave instructions with Captain Crosman (who will remain here) and Captain Ogden (who will remain at the mouth of the river,) which will govern them in the absence of Major McRee, who has returned to New Orleans for more specie. He came up here with fifty thousand dollars a day or two since, and has returned for one hundred thousand dollars. I shall probably keep him mostly on this duty. The present number of boats, after all the troops are up, and particularly if it be found

that we do not have to rely much upon this depot for supplies for the interior, will soon be unnecessarily large. Until such a new condition of things be ascertained, it would be unsafe to make any change. My instructions are, that when a diminution can safely be made, a discharge will commence, beginning with the least efficient of the chartered boats.

Fortunately for us, most of the small supplies, of which we have for some weeks stood in so much need, and the want of which threatened seriously to embarrass the movement on the interior, have come in. About ten thousand horse and mule shoes and nails came in, not in time to enable all the animals to start shod, but to carry with us shoes enough to shoe them by the way. This is not as it should have been, but is better than I feared it would be. We shall want three times as many more, of which I have advised Colonel Hunt. I have felt the more secure on this subject all along, as Captain Hetzel told me that he believed forty thousand had been ordered from Pittsburg. Our train will be well set up again with harness, covers, bows, tongues, tar, &c., but many of the wagons are old. Three broke down in Captain Sibley's last trip to Serralvo.

HENRY WHITING,

Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major General THOMAS S. JESUp,
Quartermaster General U. S. A.,
Washington city, D. C.

CAMP NEAR MARIN, MEXICO,

September 16, 1846.

GENERAL: The one hundred mule teams which Captain Arnold has been setting up at the Brazos, will soon be at Camargo, as the ox teams at the former place, and the water means of transportation between that and the river, enable Captain Hill to dispense with them; they will be wanted as soon as we advance from Monterey. Some of the iron boats will be discharged. I have left instructions to that effect.

Other wagons, as they reach the Brazos, will be sent up as far as the mules on hand, and those which come in from New Orleans, admit.

HENRY WHITING,
Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major General THOMAS S. JESUP,
Quartermaster General U. S. A.,
Washington city, D. C.

CAMP NEAR MONTEREY, MEXICO,
September 29, 1846.

GENERAL: After the events which took place here within the last week, I directed, with the approbation of the general commanding, the discharge of all the chartered river boats. Three of them were chartered by Colonel Hunt for a definite time, which will not expire for some weeks to come. They, of course, will be exceptions. This will reduce the craft there about one-third. That is the only change which the circumstances, will authorize. General Taylor does not regard the suspension of hostile operations in this quarter as at all affecting preparations for those which may foilow its termination. He wishes a large depot of provisions made here for some ten thousand men, and our information relative to the resources of this country, acquired since we have been here, convinces us that we must rely mainly for subsistence upon the depots below. Flour is here enormously high, bearing a price far above that which it costs to bring it from the United States. The charge at this time is some sixteen dollars the barrel. In order to make the deposite here that General Taylor requires, we shall need all the wagons we are likely to have, and all the mules we can hire. The eight weeks' allowance by the capitulation, will have to be diligently employed to fulfil his wishes; and we are going at once to the work. Forage we will find in the interior.

P. S. October 1.-The foregoing, in the confusion of the day, was omitted to be sent by the last express. Since then we have had communication with the governor of New Leon, who has promised to aid in the collection of corn and pack mules, suited to the extent of our wants. I have no reason to doubt that our supplies in both respects will be ample. The quantity of subsistence General Taylor wishes to have placed in depot here as soon as practicable is from four to five hundred thousand rations. We will probably have about three hundred wagons for the route, and must make up the rest of the means of transportation with pack mules. The first arrangement as to mules, made at Camargo early after the occupation of this place, was the best that could be made at that time and under the circumstances. I now intend to change the mode. Thus far we have paid them so much per day, &c. Hereafter I propose to pay them so much the cargo, (three hundred pounds, a mule load.) The expense will be considerably lessened, and a new motive applied for diligence on the part of the mule owners. Still, with all exertions to reduce expenses, they will necessarily be enormous. I wish this to be understood in advance. HENRY WHITING, Assistant Quartermaster General.

Major General THOMAS S. JESup,
Quartermaster General, U. Š. A.,

Washington city, D. C.

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